I'm so surprised that it is so easy to change trailers on platters. I hope that Brad will found time to make shots or video because it will help my daily job a lot.

As to sponging the film...it is just one way and one that I find easier for me. You don't have to hit your mark with the sponge exactly...just in the vacinity. BTW...some people string a bunch of cores together (2" variety) and feed them in like a snake.

Again, using many types of platters, never had one slip...I also don't leave the pack out longer than it takes for me to service it and drop it back in.

Please, don't anyone feel they need to try my method(s). I'm not double-dog daring you or anything!

I also came from a time and place where managers would hand you a preview to have on for the next show...alot! Necessity is the mother of invention.

Steve

This week, for instance, as well as all the usual changes, we are being asked to change a 2 minute BT advert for a 90 second version (both for the same product), and also its positioning in the programme. The 2 minute version is only one for one day - the Harry Potter previews tomorrow (Thursday).

We use the large-sized take-up rings, available from Christie. We also use large make-up plates (imagine one side of a 6000ft spool with solid flanges). We've drilled holes in the make-up plates to accommodate the normal sized take-up rings.

When the time comes for the last performance before the programme change, we run the ads/trailers as normal onto a normal-sized ring. We then stop the show immediately before the feature starts. We cut the join between the end of the last ad/trailer and the feature, lace the feature onto a LARGE ring on the platter, then on with the show.

When the show’s running, we take the ads/trailers, put them onto our make-up plate and edit them on the bench. Once the show is finished, we just remove the large ring from the centre of the feature, drop the ads/trailers in and join the two together. Hurrah!

You don’t actually need the large rings from Christie to do this (I don’t know if other manufacturers make them for their systems), you can make them yourself, if you have plenty rings and loads of scrap film. Just run about 25 minutes (yes, we need that much here in the UK) of scrap onto a ring, grab some parcel tape and wrap, from inside to out, right the way around the ring.

quote:

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"When the time comes for the last performance before the programme change, we run the ads/trailers as normal onto a normal-sized ring. We then stop the show immediately before the feature starts. We cut the join between the end of the last ad/trailer and the feature, lace the feature onto a LARGE ring on the platter, then on with the show."

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There's just one problem with this method, you are damaging a piece of film when you do it. Then there's the other (minor) problem, you have to be there at precisely the right time and you have to stop the movie for so many seconds which looks weird when you are a customer sitting in a theater wondering if something went wrong.

Steve, in a pinch I have used cores when I needed to drop in a new reel 1 or reposition a lights up cue. In those situations, I would definitely prefer the sponges as I have to be EXTRA careful when I use the cores not to put a few horizontal scratches on the film where the cores were inserted.

By the way, I've seen platters throw a print because there were cores/sponges inserted into the roll. That is another reason why I really do not like that procedure.

Brad, I assume you mean the 1" cores. For a moment I had a vision of trying to replace a platter's center ring with a 4" plastic core, but quickly concluded you didn't mean that.

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